Tofu is becoming increasingly popular, not only among vegans. This delicate soy cheese has its five minutes thanks to the increasingly popular vegetarian diet. Omnivores are also increasingly reaching for typical vegetarian ingredients. How to cook tofu? What should you know about tofu and how to make it right in your cooking? Find out in our article.
What is tofu?
We owe the production of the first tofu cube in the world to the Chinese. Legend has it that the aristocrat and alchemist Liu An discovered the tofu recipe unconsciously, experimenting in the search for a recipe for the potion of immortality.
Cottage cheese production is possible because soy protein, like animal protein, can undergo a coagulation process when a kind of cottage cheese precipitates from soy milk. Tofu quickly came from Asia to Europe and is now available worldwide.
Types of tofu
We will buy two basic types of tofu in stores. Silken tofu, or silky tofu, is very delicate, soft and breaks down easily. Hard tofu is more popular in Europe – more compact and less brittle. It is ideal for salty dishes, as it perfectly absorbs spices and marinades.
Of course, companies offer us flavored tofu, previously pickled or smoked. Let’s not be fooled! The best is natural tofu, which we can give ourselves.
The aforementioned flavored tofu are e.g. smoked tofu, which is distinguished by flavored, smoked taste obtained as a result of smoking wood (e.g. oak). It is available for purchase in some conventional organic stores and stores. We will also find tofu with spices or other additions such as olives, dried tomatoes, basil, nuts, algae – selection of flavors depending on the manufacturer.
How to make fried tofu?
Remove the tofu packaging and rinse under running water. Then wrap in a paper towel and set aside. The longer the tofu rests in this way, the more it will be firm. Then heat the oil in a pan. Dice the cream cheese and toss it in the pan. Fry on each side until gold.
You can freeze the tofu before frying. You can use lemon juice and soy sauce, curry paste or ginger. All flavor combinations are allowed. Thanks to its neutral taste, tofu quickly adopts other flavors.
What to use fried tofu for? You can add them to pasta or rice. If you like salty snacks, it can also be one of them in solo version. Marinated and fried tofu is also a great addition to a sandwich. In combination with fresh vegetables, it will be a vegan Śnaidani alternative.
Vegan alternative with tofu for classic scrambled eggs
If you are vegan, you can also use tofu to make your own version of “scrambled eggs”.
Heat oil pans and add finely chopped onion and turmeric. Mix. Then crumble the tofu in your hands or with a fork and pour into the pan. Add a pinch of salt and yeast flakes followed by tomato. Give it a moment to make it look like a traditional scrambled egg. If the food is too dry, add a tablespoon of water or vegetable milk. Finally, try and season with salt and pepper.
